A couple articles came out on an update to grooming standards which made it appear that HMs must now go by Marine grooming standards. The reporting was misleading. Nothing has changed. For decades, Naval personnel attached to Marine units can choose to go Marine regs or stay Navy. Those who go Marine get issued and must wear Alfas and Chucks when prescribed. We cannot wear your dress blues. Two seabags must be maintained. Haircuts and Marine PFT also apply. The cammie uniform though still reads US NAVY over the left blouse pocket. One article even said while in the Marine uniform, all personnel must conform to Marine Corps grooming standards blah blah..., but showed someone in cammies with US NAVY on it.

In my three times "green side" I stayed Navy regs but kept short hair. I ran a Marine PFT if I wanted just to show I could. Had a real nice sleeve roll but also kept the sleeves in a Gunny roll on occasion.

When I've taken my cadets to Pendleton we've run into corpsmen...all were dressed like marines; the only difference I saw were the rank insignia and the US NAVY on the cammies...otherwise...they looked like marines.

I think that's awesome if that's their choice. If they choose to "stay navy" so what? The thing I took away from it and preached to my cadets?

"Look at them...they are respecting the marines they care for...they're willing to go into battle armed with medical gear and no weapons...think about that."

As an Hospital Corpsman (HM) you volunteer for the Field Medical Services School (FMSS) unless mandated - based on numbers and war. Once you go through FMSS there are a few options to be more embedded. If you choose to be a standard 'Doc' with the MC unit you are not obligated to wear Charlie's or take Marine Reg's. You have to, and I did, submit a 'request chit' for going 'Green/Marine Regs' after FMSS. That means, you submit a 'request' for taking Marine Regs aka 'uniform change', etc. and to identify with those I will be working with - being embedded - all of their requirements, PT, etc. While my Navy LPO (who was awesome) was not happy my Chief (who was 100% bad ***) had no issues with it. My Chief approved my request and I excelled with the USMC. Just some background, I was a previous Special Warfare candidate (Dive Company, etc.) but I tore my left knee out 3 times before BUDS and had surgery 3x - long time on med hold. Case in point, on Medical Holdfor a long time. I was in a bad spot short term and the Surgeons offered me Medical Discharge 3 times after each surgery - not going to happen : I told them absolutelynot. After healing and a long time recovering - 1.5 years, the USMC took me in. I had to prove myself and after doing so, (deployed every 89 days - no joke, living the MC life, conflict zones, hot metal in a warm body, PT, over time, etc.) I earned an opportunity to try out for Basic Recon and then, a few months later, Advanced Recon - pipeline ensued - 18 Delta, etc. The rest of my time is awesome and when I left it was very hard, dramatic and I endured some serious separation issues because our unit was incredibly tight. As a fact, I am the only one from my Joint Task Force unit that is not in law enforcement. Put that in perspective. I have nothing but 100% respect for our brothers in Combat Arms (across all branches - I op'd with all of them) and most especially the Docs (all branches) that serve, protect and make sure our finest fighting force gets home. There is a lot of politics, hard work and dedication to the 'Docs' that serve with the USMC. My time was short live, 6.5 years, but I can attest to you - I am 100% a better person, father, husband - because I found a home and the USMC (remember I was Navy) treated me like their own. Would never change it.

As an Hospital Corpsman (HM) you volunteer for the Field Medical Services School (FMSS) unless mandated - based on numbers and war. Once you go through FMSS there are a few options to be more embedded. If you choose to be a standard 'Doc' with the MC unit you are not obligated to wear Charlie's or take Marine Reg's. You have to, and I did, submit a 'request chit' for going 'Green/Marine Regs' after FMSS. That means, you submit a 'request' for taking Marine Regs aka 'uniform change', etc. and to identify with those I will be working with - being embedded - all of their requirements, PT, etc. While my Navy LPO (who was awesome) was not happy my Chief (who was 100% bad ***) had no issues with it. My Chief approved my request and I excelled with the USMC. Just some background, I was a previous Special Warfare candidate (Dive Company, etc.) but I tore my left knee out 3 times before BUDS and had surgery 3x - long time on med hold. Case in point, on Medical Holdfor a long time. I was in a bad spot short term and the Surgeons offered me Medical Discharge 3 times after each surgery - not going to happen : I told them absolutelynot. After healing and a long time recovering - 1.5 years, the USMC took me in. I had to prove myself and after doing so, (deployed every 89 days - no joke, living the MC life, conflict zones, hot metal in a warm body, PT, over time, etc.) I earned an opportunity to try out for Basic Recon and then, a few months later, Advanced Recon - pipeline ensued - 18 Delta, etc. The rest of my time is awesome and when I left it was very hard, dramatic and I endured some serious separation issues because our unit was incredibly tight. As a fact, I am the only one from my Joint Task Force unit that is not in law enforcement. Put that in perspective. I have nothing but 100% respect for our brothers in Combat Arms (across all branches - I op'd with all of them) and most especially the Docs (all branches) that serve, protect and make sure our finest fighting force gets home. There is a lot of politics, hard work and dedication to the 'Docs' that serve with the USMC. My time was short live, 6.5 years, but I can attest to you - I am 100% a better person, father, husband - because I found a home and the USMC (remember I was Navy) treated me like their own. Would never change it.